African Violet Plants - How To Grow African Violets

African Violet Care

1. Light. Bright, but not direct sunlight. ...
2. Soil. A well-drained potting mix is essential. ...
3. Water. Keep soil moist with warm water and strive for high humidity. ...
4. Temperature and Humidity. Do not allow to fall below about 60ºF. ...
5. Fertilizer. Feed with an African violet fertilizer every other week.

1. What is the best way to grow African violets?
2. How do you take care of an African violet plant?
3. How often should African violets be watered?
4. Do African violets need direct sunlight?
5. Do African violets like coffee grounds?
6. Do you deadhead African violets?
7. How long do African violets live?
8. Why are my African violet leaves growing straight up?
9. Should I repot my African violet?
10. Is Epsom salt good for African violets?
11. Can African violets go outside?
12. What kind of water do African violets need?
13. Do African violets like to be crowded?
14. Can African violets grow in low light?
15. How big can African violets get?
16. How do I get my African violet to flower?
17. Are eggshells good for African violets?
18. How often should I fertilize African violets?
19. How do you remove dead flowers from African violets?
20. What do you do with overgrown African violets?
21. Can you start an African violet from a leaf cutting?

What is the best way to grow African violets?

African violets are strictly indoor plants in North America, largely because their leaves need to stay dry. Grow plants in bright, indirect light for the best color and blooms. A plant stand three feet away from a west- or south-facing window is an ideal location.

How do you take care of an African violet plant?

How to Care for African Violets

1. Keep the soil lightly moist and use room-temperature water.
2. Leaves are susceptible to rot if kept in high humidity, so water African violets from the bottom to avoid getting excess water on the leaves.
3. Dust dirt off the leaves with a small, soft brush.

How often should African violets be watered?

“How often to water African violets?” is perhaps the most pondered African violet dilemma. The best guide is to feel the top of the soil: if it is dry to the touch, then it is time to water. African violets should be allowed to dry out between each watering for best results. Overwatering can kill a plant.

Do African violets need direct sunlight?

African violets need bright light to bloom, but cannot tolerate hot, direct sun because their leaves are easily scorched by intense light. Violets bloom best at temperatures from 65 to 75 degrees.

Do African violets like coffee grounds?

Is Coffee Grounds Good for African Violets? Yes, coffee grounds are a great homemade fertilizer for African Violets. Make a mixture of dried coffee grounds and dried egg shells, then work the coffee ground mixture into the top of the soil. Replenish every couple of months.

Do you deadhead African violets?

Deadhead African violets to encourage more blooms. African violets make useful flowering houseplants since they can bloom for up to nine months per year. They do need the other three months off as a rest period.

How long do African violets live?

African violets can live a long time, as long as 50 years! To get them there, you need to provide good care which includes repotting African violets. The trick is knowing when to repot an African violet and what soil and container size to use.

Why are my African violet leaves growing straight up?

Why Do African Violet Leaves Curl or Reach Upwards? African Violet leaves curl or reach upwards when the light they receive is too low. The stems start growing longer in size and growing upwards as if they are reaching for the light. The leaves no longer grow flat as they usually should, but grow upwards too.

Should I repot my African violet?

Many successful growers of African Violets recommend repotting with fresh potting soil, twice a year or more. At the very least, an African Violet should be repotted whenever the plant becomes rootbound, i.e., the Violet has outgrown its current pot to the extent that its roots are growing out and around the rootball.

Is Epsom salt good for African violets?

Applied once per month epsom salts will help trigger bloom in your violets and be a good companion to your African violet specialty fertilizer. Dissolve two tablespoons of epsom salts in one gallon of tepid water in a watering can or pitcher. Swish or swirl the salts in the water to dissolve them and combine the two.

Can African violets go outside?

African violets are tropical plants from East Africa. That's why they make good indoor plants. They would never survive outdoors in most U.S. climates as a normal violet would. You can buy these plants almost anywhere, including grocery stores and garden centers.

What kind of water do African violets need?

Water that has been allowed to warm to room temperature or lukewarm tap water is ideal for watering African violets, as cold water can damage the leaves or shock the plants' roots.

Do African violets like to be crowded?

Violets need to feel crowded to bloom, but when a plant gets too big for its pot, divide the plant's separate-looking leaf heads. ... Place in potting soil after the roots and leaves become well formed.

Can African violets grow in low light?

When they get ample indirect light, African violets grow well, stay healthy and produce abundant flowers. In too little light, they will have few or no flowers and will have leaves that become darker green and thin with long, weak stems. African violets are easily grown under artificial lights.

How big can African violets get?

Standard African violet plants when fully mature range from 8-16 inches (20-40cm) in diameter across a single crown. The flowers on these plants can grow to 2 inches (5cm) across the petals and a single leaf blade can grow to 3 inches (7.5cm) in length.

How do I get my African violet to flower?

African violets need light to grow and produce flowers. The key is to get bright light in the morning or afternoon without excessive heat or intense sun. Signs of inadequate light include stretched leaf stems and small adult leaves. Too much light can cause the foliage to appear dull or bleached.

Are eggshells good for African violets?

Food Leftovers. Used coffee grounds and crushed egg shells are excellent sources of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, calcium, potassium and other trace elements and minerals. Save these items from your kitchen, dry them out in a low-heat oven and crush them in a blender.

How often should I fertilize African violets?

These little plants need feeding every 4 to 6 weeks during their growing period. Prior to feeding, moisten the soil well. Use a liquid or soluble powder formula that will provide instant delivery.

How do you remove dead flowers from African violets?

You can cut it off or, with some practice, “snap” it off with the flick of the wrist. African violets generally only will bloom once from the same axil so, unlike orchids, for example, there's no need to leave old bloom stems on the plant.

What do you do with overgrown African violets?

If the African violet stem is bare and leggy more than an inch, the best method of saving it is cutting the plant off at the soil level and re-rooting it. Fill a pot with a well-draining soil mix, and cut the African violet stems at the soil level. Remove any dead or sickly foliage.

Can you start an African violet from a leaf cutting?

Growing African violets from leaves or cuttings is a simple propagation method for new plants. You have probably seen this done in water but you can also root them directly in potting mix.